To see a calendar of programs and events for Kimberley, click here

Columbia Basin Alliance for Literacy (CBAL) in Kimberley offers a variety of literacy and learning opportunities for children, youth and families. All the programs are free to participants.

Play and Learn - 2 programs. One is a family drop-in program for parents with children 5 and under to play and interact together in a supportive and educational environment-offered twice a week -one day at Marysville Elementary School and one day at Lindsay Park elementary School. The other program is a parenting program with a facilitated play/activity component for the children. These programs are offered with the support of the North Star Dream Team and in partnership with Nobody's Perfect Parenting and Public Health Nursing.

Family Tutoring & Adult Tutoring - These free programs provide a tutor to help adults or families experiencing difficulties with their children's learning skills.

Baby Goose Group - this is a free, drop-in programs for parents and their babies. This is a group experiences aimed at teaching songs and rhymes and providing information about infant development and related topics in a relaxed, supportive and fun environment. Baby Goose is offered in partnership with the Public Health Nursing.

One to One Reading - this is an in-school program where children from grades 1-5, read with trained volunteer tutors for 30 minutes a day, four days a week, for ten weeks, to practice and improve their literacy skills and increase their confidence and self esteem. Kimberley Literacy provides the training and support to implement this program at Marysville and Lindsay Park Elementary Schools.

Cruise-Inn - this is an after school program at McKim Middle School to support students with their schoolwork and literacy skills. This free program is offered in partnership with the Community Links Elementary Support Worker.

Cruise-Inn - this is an after school program at McKim Middle School to support students with their schoolwork and literacy skills. This free program is offered in partnership with the Community Links Elementary Support Worker.

Alphabet Soup - is a free literacy/cooking program for preschoolers with their parents. We offer this program through the Kimberley Food Bank

Roots Of Empathy - a classroom-based parenting program that aims to reduce aggression through the fostering of empathy and emotional literacy. A baby and parent visit a class once a month for a full school year with a facilitator coaching the children to observe the baby's development and learn about babies needs. The facilitator also visits before and after each family visit to prepare and reinforce teachings with the class

Gently Used Book Drive - annual book drive collection to include books for the whole family in the Food Bank Christmas hampers

Books For Babies - a canvas bag with a baby's book, a t-shirt, information regarding the importance of reading and information about community programs is given to families with newborns through the public health unit. In partnership with the Kimberley Teachers' Association and the Kimberley Public Library.

For more information about our programs or to become a volunteer, contact:

Funded by:
  Columbia Basin Trust, Literacy Now, Ministry of Advanced Education,
  Success by Six, the Gaming Commission, KAR Community Summit Fund,
  Literacy B.C. Raise a Reader, The Kimberley District Community Foundation,
  Literacy Charity Golf Tournament